Advances in industrial separations technologies

Conference · Wed Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1990

OSTI ID:5968095

The objective of this workshop was to obtain expert opinion on separation technologies expected to save significant amounts of energy in the chemical, petroleum, and related process industries. Experts were divided into five groups according to their areas of specialty: (1) Distillation, (2) Extraction, (3) Adsorption, (4) Membranes, and (5) Novel Processes. The Distillation Group recommended the development of a new generation mass transfer device for distillation columns which would be more efficient than existing structured packings. Also highly rated were heat integration, catalytic distillation, and advanced process control. The Extraction Group focused on reducing solvent usage (or solvent to feed ratio) as the critical parameter which reduces energy consumption. Solvent usage may be reduced by: (1) increasing distribution coefficient and (2) improving extraction efficiency. It was suggested that the harnessing of Marangoni effects would be one way to increase extraction efficiency. The group noted the importance of extraction in environmental applications such as the extraction of organics from industrial wastewaters and sludges. The Adsorption Group concluded that better experimental data are needed on complex mixtures. Such data would result in more energy-efficient systems and reduce the degree of over-design. Adsorbents by design, process modeling, more efficient regeneration strategies, and the development of a master data base rounded out the high priority selections. The Membranes Group selected anti-fouling, membrane reactors, high temperature applications, oil-water separations, and natural gas upgrading as key technologies and applications which deserved high priority ratings. The Novel Processes Group considered interfacial-based separations, combined field processes, hybrid processes, reaction-based separations, and freeze concentration crystallization as high priority technologies on which to focus. 9 figs., 11 tabs.

• Research Organization: Humphrey (J.L.) and Associates, Austin, TX (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC07-90ID12920
• OSTI ID: 5968095
• Report Number(s): CONF-9003250-Summ.; ON: DE91010101
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020400 -- Petroleum-- Processing
03 NATURAL GAS
030300 -- Natural Gas-- Drilling
Production
& Processing
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320303* -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Industrial & Agricultural Processes-- Equipment & Processes
ADSORBENTS
ADSORPTION
CONTROL
CRYSTALLIZATION
DEMAND
DISPERSIONS
DISTILLATION
EFFICIENCY
ENERGY CONSERVATION
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
ENERGY DEMAND
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
EXTRACTION
FOULING
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
INFORMATION SYSTEMS
LIQUID WASTES
MANAGEMENT
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MEMBRANES
MIXTURES
NATURAL GAS PROCESSING PLANTS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PACKINGS
PETROLEUM REFINERIES
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
PROCESS CONTROL
PROCESS SOLUTIONS
PROCESSING
RECOMMENDATIONS
REGENERATION
SEPARATION EQUIPMENT
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SOLUTIONS
SOLVENTS
SORPTION
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
USES
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
WASTE WATER
WASTES
WATER
WATER TREATMENT